Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
WORK ADDRESS
Coe College Music Department
1220 First Avenue Northeast
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
(319)399-8520
Internet Address: wcarson@coe.edu
FAX: 319-399-8209
CURRENT
POSITIONS: Director of Bands and Instrumental Music Education, Professor of Music
Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June 1990 - Present.
Granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor, May 1994.
Promoted to Professor, August 2003.
Chair of the Department of Music, 2002-2007.
Director of Instrumental Music duties include administration of band and orchestra program; recruitment and retention of instrumental music students; supervision of string, wind, and percussion faculty; conductor of Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Senior Honor Band.
Teaching topics have included Conducting, Twentieth Century Music History, Instrumental Music Methods, Topics in Instrumental Music, Jazz History, clarinet studio, woodwind methods, and student teacher supervision.
Administration and artistic direction of annual Coe College Jazz Summit and annual Coe College Festival of Bands; administration of Coe College Honor Bands.
Guest conductor of symphony orchestra and of all-college musical, “Cabaret.”
Doubled enrollment in concert band/wind ensemble program in one year, tripled in two years, quadrupled in five years.
Guest Conductor
Iowa Ambassadors of Music Concert Band Associate Conductor, summer tours to Europe
Associate Music Director
Associate Band Conductor
Clarinetist
Board Member
Advisor
United States Air Force Heartland of America Band
College of Eastern Utah Music Camp Band
Cedar Rapids Symphony Youth Orchestra
Marine Band of Camp LeJeune
United States Army Field Band
CBDNA Regional College All-Star Band
Numerous high school festivals
Iowa Bandmasters Association Convention
Principal Guest Conductor, Eastern Iowa Brass Band, Mt. Vernon, Iowa, May 1991 - 2002. Appearances with this national champion adult brass band as guest conductor and rehearsal clinician.
Woodwind Performer:
Principal Bass Clarinetist, Cedar Rapids Municipal Band, 1991 – present
Free-lance reed player
o Cedar Rapids Symphony
o Waterloo Symphony
o Dubuque Symphony
o Theatre Cedar Rapids
o Miscellanous ensembles
o Founder, Bill Carson Big Band, Coe Faculty Jazz Quartet.
Recent Honors and Publications:
“Grainger’s ‘Spoon River’ for Band,” Hoard House: News from the Grainger Museum, Mebourne, Australia, Issue 8: June 2008.
Article “Katsista” in Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, Volume VII, GIA Publications, 2008.
Presenter, “Grainger’s ‘Spoon River’ for Band,” with United States Air Force Heartland of America Band, College Band Directors National Association Regional Convention, Omaha, Nebraska, March 2008.
Articles “Gustav Holst,” “Alban Berg,” “Charles Mingus,” “Meredith Willson,” and “Percy Grainger,” in Musicians and Composers of the Twentieth Century, Salem Press, 2008.
Recipient, Love of Learning Grant, Phi Kappa Phi, 2008.
Recipient, Faculty Career Enhancement Grant, Associated Colleges of the Midwest, Mellon Foundation, 2007.
External Consultant, Music Faculty Evaluation, Lawrence University, 2006.
On the Path to Excellence - The Northshore Concert Band: Paynter, Buehlman, and Beyond, Meredith Music (Distributed by Hal Leonard), 2003.
Article “St. Florian Choral” in Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, Volume VI, GIA Publications, Fall 2004.
Article “Valdres” in Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, March Edition, GIA Publications, Fall 2003.
Panel Moderator for Midwest Clinic workshop on the Northshore Concert Band, December 2003.
Article "Mingus Big Band rocks Hancher— Preserves Legacy", published by Jazz Institute of Chicaog, 2001.
Outstanding Dissertation Award granted by the Council for Research in Music Education, 1994.
Runner-up, Fritz Thelen Wind Band Research Prize, 1995.
Coe College Award for Outstanding Mentoring by a Faculty Member, 1996.
Selected as an Educational Clinician for United Musical Instruments, 1998.
Iowa State Chair, National Band Association, 1996-present.
Selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who in American Education, 1998.
Grant Recipient, Iowa Council for the Arts, 1994.
External Consultant, Music Faculty Evaluation, Cornell College, 1994.
Textbook reviewer, W.W. Norton, 1994.
College Affairs Chairperson for Iowa Bandmasters Association, 1992-1996.
Founder, first Coordinator, Iowa College All-Star Concert Band, 1994.
President of Coe College Chapter, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, 1994.
Publications have appeared in The Bulletin of The Council for Research in Music Education, the Iowa Bandmasters Association Magazine, Popular Musicians, The International Association of Jazz Educators Journal, the Iowa Music Educator, and Advance: Journal of the Association of Concert Bands. For a more detailed list of recent publications, please see below.
EXPERIENCE:
Business Manager
Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Municipal Band, June 1992 - September 2004.
Responsibilities include personnel hiring, recruitment, and retention; budget and payroll; logistics and planning; liaison with mayor-appointed City Band Commission.
Coordinate with Music Directors Frank Piersol (retired 1995) and Morgan Jones (current) for a season of twenty paid concerts.
Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies
Plymouth State College of the University System of New Hampshire, August 1984 - August 1988.
Teaching topics included Advanced Conducting, clarinet studio, saxophone studio, woodwind methods, jazz appreciation, music appreciation, musical theatre appreciation, improvisation; conducting PSC Musical Theatre, PSC Jazz Band, PSC Jazz Lab Ensemble.
Assisted with Symphonic Band, All New England Band Festival, PSC Pep Band.
Administrator and founder of Plymouth Jazz Series and Plymouth Woodwind Festival.
Responsible for supervision of adjunct woodwind and string faculty.
Doubled enrollment in the jazz program in four years.
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Arizona State University, August 1988 - May 1990.
Assistant to the Director of Bands (Dr. Richard E. Strange)
University Symphonic Band Conducting Assistant
Instrumental Conducting
Woodwinds
Full teaching responsibility for all woodwind methods classes for music education and music therapy majors.
Intern: Arizona State University, August 1988 - May 1990.
Conducting Assistant for Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band
Conducting coach for Instrumental Music Education Practicum
Marching Band Assistant
Music Coordinator, Director of Instrumental Music
West Lafayette (IN) Community School Corporation, June 1983 - August 1984.
Conductor of high school concert, marching, pep, and jazz bands
Summer music lesson Instructor
Responsible for supervision, evaluation, hiring, and administration of all music faculty (K - 12), including orchestra, band, choral, and general music.
Music Director: Carbondale (IL) Community High School, August 1981 - June 1983.
Illinois State Music Championship 1982 - all-time record for Class A schools.
Conductor of Concert, Jazz, Pep, and Marching Bands; Symphony and String Orchestras; Concert, Men's, Women's, and Swing Choirs; Musical Orchestras and Choruses; Director of Instrumental and Vocal Chamber Ensembles.
First-division or first-place rankings earned by all the above-listed groups.
Organized Summer Community Music Program, including Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Chorus; Conductor of Summer Concert Band and Jazz Band.
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Instrumental Conducting, Clarinet
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, August 1979 - August 1981.
Assistant Conductor: Wind Ensemble; Symphonic, Marching, and Basketball Pep Bands; Marjorie Lawrence Opera Theatre; Summer Music Theatre.
Studio instruction for freshman and sophomore clarinet majors.
Additional Conducting Experience
Conducted Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra as member of Young Conductors' Workshop.
Intern with Minnesota Opera, Philip Brunelle.
Conductor, ASU Contemporary Idioms Ensembles, Chamber Ensembles.
Assistant Conductor ASU Men’s Basketball Band
Co-Conductor ASU Olympic Sports Pep Band.
Guest Conductor for Coe College Orchestra (IA)
Cedar Rapids Symphony Youth Orchestra (IA)
Cedar Rapids Municipal Band (IA)
Eastern Iowa Brass Band
Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra (NH)
Marjorie Lawrence Opera Theatre (IL)
Orchestras, bands, jazz bands, and musicals in Iowa, Arkansas, New Hampshire, Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico, Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
Founder/ Conductor Carbondale Area Summer Band and Jazz Band
Founding conductor of Eastern Iowa Youth Brass Band
Additional Teaching Experience
· Conducting Coach, Music Theory Tutor, ASU
· Clarinet Instructor, South Mountain Arts Magnet School (AZ)
· New Hampshire Music Festival School
· Private Instructor, Iowa, Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, New Hampshire
· Student Teacher, Mount Vernon Township High School (IL)
· Counselor, National Music Camp at Interlochen (MI) and Ferris State College (MI) Summer Music Camp
Adjudication Experience
· Cedar Rapids Symphony Guild Concerto Auditions
· Cedar Rapids Schools Scholarship Competition
· Illinois All-State Auditions
· ASU, SIU, and Coe Honor Band Auditions
· New Hampshire, Iowa, and Arizona Solo and Ensemble Festivals and Large Group and Jazz Contests
· Mesa Symphony Orchestra Guild Young Artist Competition Auditions.
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, and Saxophone Performing Experience
· ASU Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Lyric Opera Theatre (AZ)
· New England Wind Ensemble, Quintessence, Lakes Region Orchestra, and Play'rs Jazz Orchestra (NH)
· Lafayette Citizens Band, Lafayette Symphony (IN)
· SIU Wind Ensemble, Rend Lake Symphony, SIU Symphony (IL)
· Macalester Concert Band, Macalester Symphony (MN)
· free-lance orchestras, chamber ensembles, and jazz groups, as well as opera and musical orchestras
Additional instrumental performing experience on brass, percussion, and both string and electric bass.
Additional vocal performing experience: Roles in musicals, oratorio; chorus in opera, musicals, and oratorio; choral experience (including with the Minnesota Symphony).
Jazz performance and rehearsal experience with guest artists at Coe College and Plymouth State College Jazz Festivals and Concerts:
· Richard Stoltzman
· Randy Brecker
· Ed Shaughnessy
· Byron Stripling
· Danny Gottlieb
· the Brubeck Brothers Trio
· Kim Parks
· Paul McKee
· Andy LaVerne
· the Rich Daniels Trio
· Antonio Garcia
· Lou Fischer
· Shelly Berg
· Jim Mair
· Frank Mantooth
· James Warrick
· Mike Parkinson
· Ted DiSanti
· Victor Mestas
· Delbert Bernabela
· Ron Carter (saxophonist)
· Jazz rehearsals at Stanford University Jazz Workshop with Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Jim McNeely, George Mraz, Victor Lewis.
EDUCATION:
Doctor of Musical Arts in Instrumental Music:
Arizona State University, completed, June 1992.
· Graduate Conducting Assistant for ASU Symphonic Band
· Graduate Teaching Assistant for Woodwind Methods Classes
· Cumulative GPA 4.0/4
· Band Activity Scholarship, Regents Graduate Academic Tuition Scholarship
· Only music graduate student elected to Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society in 1992
· Dissertation: “A History of the Northshore Concert Band, Wilmette, Illinois, 1956-1986: The First Thirty Years.”
Doctoral Studies in Instrumental Music:
Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford, Summers, 1985, 1987.
· Cumulative GPA 4.0/4.
Master of Music in Conducting, August 1981:
Southern Illinois University
· Cumulative GPA 3.84/4
· SIU Scholar
· Graduate Conducting Assistant for Orchestra, Marjorie Lawrence Opera Theatre, Summer Theatre, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Marching Salukis
· Elected to Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society.
Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude in Conducting, Clarinet, and Voice, December, 1978: Macalester College, St. Paul, MN.
· Assistant Conductor for Macalester Orchestra, Band, and Opera Chorus
· Macalester representative to St. Paul Chamber Orchestra's Young Conductors' Workshop
· Internship with Minnesota Opera, Philip Brunelle
· National Merit Scholar
Additional study
· New England Conservatory of Music
· Stanford University
· Northern Illinois University at Music Educators National Conference
· University of Michigan at Interlochen.
TRAINING:
Teachers include:
· Conductors of Minnesota Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, Tempe Symphony, Minnesota Opera, St. Paul Civic Symphony, St. Paul Opera, Orchestra of the Academy Musashino, American Kantorei, Dale Warland Singers, and Marjorie Lawrence Opera Theatre
· Principal clarinetists of Minnesota and St. Louis Symphonies
· National Music Camp Faculty
· Stanford Jazz Workshop Faculty, Jim McNeely, Stan Getz.
AFFILIATIONS:
· Iowa State Chair, National Band Association (1996 - 2004)
· Iowa Bandmasters Association, College Affairs Chairperson (1992-1996), Executive Committee, founder/coordinator, Iowa College All-Star Concert Band
· Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
· International Association of Jazz Educators
· Kappa Kappa Psi band honorary
· Phi Kappa Phi, former President of Coe College Chapter
· Pi Kappa Lambda music honorary.
Supporting materials available upon request.
Books:
On the
Path to Excellence - The Northshore Concert Band: Paynter, Buehlman,
and Beyond, Meredith Music (Distributed by Hal Leonard), 2003.
Dissertation:
“A History of the Northshore Concert Band, Wilmette, Illinois, 1956-1986: The First Thirty Years,” Arizona State University, 1992. Recipient of the Outstanding Dissertation Award granted by the Council for Research in Music Education. Summary of research accepted for publication in Alta Musica, journal of the International Society for the Promotion and Investigation of Wind Music; runner-up, Fritz Thelen Wind Band Research Prize.
Recent Articles:
“Grainger’s ‘Spoon River’ for Band,” Hoard House: News from the Grainger Museum, Mebourne, Australia, Issue 8: June 2008.
“Katsista” in Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, Volume VII, GIA Publications, 2008.
“Gustav Holst,” “Alban Berg,” “Charles Mingus,” “Meredith Willson,” and “Percy Grainger,” articles in dictionary, Musicians and Composers of the Twentieth Century, Salem Press, 2008.
“St. Florian Choral” in Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, Volume V, GIA Publications, 2004.
“Valdres” in Teaching Music Through Performing Marches, GIA Publications, 2003.
"John Coltrane," article in dictionary, Popular Musicians, Salem Press, 1999.
“Top Ten List,” Iowa Bandmasters Association Magazine, Fall 2000.
“It’s All in How You Look At It,” Iowa Bandmasters Association Magazine, Summer 2000.
“It’s All in How You Look At It,” National Band Association Magazine, Winter 2000.
"Hats Off!" Iowa Bandmasters Association Magazine, Winter 1999.
"A Salute to Duke Ellington," Iowa Music Educator, Summer 1999.
"A Special Place," Iowa Music Educator, Spring 1999.
"It was the Best of Times, It was the Worst of Times . . . ," Iowa Bandmasters Association Magazine, Winter 1998.
"It's Never Too Late," Iowa Bandmasters Association Magazine, Fall 1998.
"Making the Connection," Iowa Bandmasters Association Magazine, Summer 1998.
"Conventional Wisdom," Iowa Bandmasters Association Magazine, Spring 1998.
"Impressions: John Coltrane, Searching Within and Reaching Out," Iowa Bandmasters Association Magazine, Winter 1998.
"The Importance of Articulation," Iowa Bandmasters Association Magazine, Fall 1997.
"National Band Association Corner," Iowa Bandmasters Association Magazine, Summer 1997, Winter 1997.
"Abstract: A History of the Northshore Concert Band, Wilmette, Illinois, 1956-1986: The First Thirty Years," The Bulletin of The Council for Research in Music Education, Spring, 1994.
This Web Page was designed by Dr. William S. Carson
